Cardboard box conveyor

ABSTRACT

A conveying apparatus, particularly for transferring cardboard boxes from a storage magazine, in which the boxes are stored the ones against the others in a laid flat condition, to a receiving surface, the boxes possibly undergoing a processing step in an intermediate station, comprising means adapted to draw the boxes from said magazine and to give them the final parallelepipedal shape, two parallel conveying members, more particularly two endless chains, each member having affixed thereto a plurality of spaced non aligned positioning and retaining elements, whereby box receiving spaces are defined by the two parallel members and by a positioning and retaining element on each said member, drive means adapted to independently and adjustably drive the said members in a preselected direction, so that the boxes being charged by said first mentioned means are carried away from the storage magazine towards the intermediate processing station and then towards the receiving surface, the distance of the two positioning elements defining a box receiving space being adjusted to the box size by suitably adjusting the drive means, and means downstream of the processing station adapted to engage and controllably guide the cardboard boxes for their discharge on the receiving surface.

United States Patent [1 1 Taddei 1 June 10, 1975 CARDBOARD BOX CONVEYORCarlo Taddei, Padenghe Sul Garda (Brescia), Italy [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Seal Spout Europe S.p.A., Castiglione Delle Stiviere(Mantova), Italy 221 Filed: Aug. 14, i973 211 Appl.No.:388,250

Primary Examiner-Roy Lake Assistant Examiner-James F. Coan Attorney,Agent, or FirmDiller, Brown, Ramik & Wight [57] ABSTRACT A conveyingapparatus, particularly for transferring cardboard boxes from a storagemagazine, in which the boxes are stored the ones against the others in alaid flat condition, to a receiving surface, the boxes possiblyundergoing a processing step in an intermediate station, comprisingmeans adapted to draw the boxes from said magazine and to give them thefinal parallelepipedal shape, two parallel conveying members, moreparticularly two endless chains, each mem ber having affixed thereto aplurality of spaced non aligned positioning and retaining elements,whereby box receiving spaces are defined by the two parallel members andby a positioning and retaining element on each said member, drive meansadapted to independently and adjustably drive the said members in apreselected direction, so that the boxes being charged by said firstmentioned means are carried away from the storage magazine towards theintermediate processing station and then towards the receiving surface,the distance of the two positioning elements defining a box receivingspace being adjusted to the box size by suitably adjusting the drivemeans, and means downstream of the processing station adapted to engageand controllably guide the cardboard boxes for their discharge on thereceiving surface.

9 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUH 10 I975 SHEET PATENTEDJUH 10 ms3, -j 3 1 64 SHEET 3 PATENTEDJUH 10 I975 PATENTEDJUH 10 1915 CARDBOARDBOX CONVEYOR This invention relates to a conveyor adapted to drawcard-board boxes from a magazine and to convey it to one or moreprocessing stations.

More exactly, the invention relates to a conveyor which is particularlyadapted to be used with cardboard boxes intended to have aparallelepipedai final shape and which are stored flat one against theother with the sidewall closed and with the end flaps open. These boxesshould be drawn from a magazine and arranged onto the conveyor. oneafter the other, already open in their final parallelepipedal shape tobe subjected to processing in the already cited station.

The conventional conveyors, which can be equipped with means for acontinuous or intermittent motion, usually comprise a flexible memberwhich is rotated in a closed loop, such as for example a couple ofchains, on which there are affixed box positioning and retaining membersThese positioning and retaining members for the boxes are arrangedproperly spaced apart so as to define therebetween a seating on whicheach box as drawn from the magazine must be located.

Such a seating has a length equal to the thickness of each box and is somade as exactly to define the plan space requirement for a box, thelatter being thus retained in a preselected position.

The conveyors thus made up have the drawback that each seating has amouth opening for the boxes which is extremely precise so that themovement of the device which draws the boxes from the magazine andinserts them, open, into the above mentioned seating must be exactlyattuned with the movement of the conveyor: an even slightest phasedefect is such as to cause the boxes not to enter the seating on theconveyor in the correct way, thus giving rise to a deformation of thebox or a stoppage in the production cycle. Due to the ever increasingrotation speeds as required for the conveyor, it has become extremelydifficult to synchronize the movement of the device which draws theboxes from the magazine with the movement of the conveyors as embodiedaccording to the conventional techniques.

Another drawback as experienced with the conventional conveyors is that,whenever the box shape is changed, it becomes necessary to change thegap be tween the positioning and retaining members which de fine theseating for the boxes, and they should be individually dismantled fromthe chains: this fact requires the stoppage of the production run duringa comparatively lengthy period of time. the economical disadvantagesbeing apparent.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a cardboard boxconveyor adapted to operate at a high speed in a perfect attunement withthe device which draws the boxes from the magazine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cardboard box conveyorof the kind referred to above which can be adapted in a simple and quickmanner to different shapes of boxes.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a cardboardbox conveyor which is provided in correspondence with the outlet endwith a device which is adapted automatically to eject the boxes so as toplace them onto another conveyor.

In view of the objects as enumerated above for this invention it hasbeen envisaged to provide a cardboard box conveyor of the kind referredto above, which is characterized in that it comprises at least aflexible member as controlled to be rotated in a closed loop so as todefine two laps which are parallel to one another and are spaced apartthrough a distance equal to the width of the boxes, a plurality ofretaining members appropriately affixed and spaced apart from each otheron said flexible member, a motive means adapted to cause said flexiblemember to be rotated so that said parallel laps may be advanced inconcordant directions and synchronously with respect to each other, andthat the retaining members on a lap are staggered through the thicknessof a box with respect to the retaining members on the other lap so as todefine a plurality of couples confronting shoulders which are adapted toreceive, between them, the boxes which abut each couple of shoulders incorrespondence with two diagonally opposite edges of said boxes.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention said parallel laps aredefined by two chains which can be controlled so as to be rotated in aclosed loop by a single motive means which is positively connectedthereto through a drive transfer member.

The conveyor according to the invention can also be equipped, at the boxoutlet end, with a device adapted automatically to eject each box and toposition it previously between the retaining members of another conveyorwhich is arranged perpendicularly to the former conveyor. Said devicecomprises a couple of rings which are rotated in opposite directions andare each equipped with a plurality of fingers which are extendedradially and are spaced apart from each other in an even manner, thefingers of one ring having the end curved in a hook like way in the samedirection of rotation of the ring concerned, whereas the fingers of theother ring are substantially straight and longer than those of theformer ring, in operation a hooked finger and a straight finger comingsimultaneously into contact with the rear wall of last box on theconveyor to thrust it out of the latter between the retaining mem bersof the other conveyor as mentioned above, the longer finger initiallybending the box to insert it partially between the retaining members andthen the hooked end of the other finger entering action to complete theintroduction of the box.

In order that the features of the invention may be better understood, anexemplary description will now be given of a preferred embodimentthereof, reference being had to the diagrammatical accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view which is illustrative of a conveyor constructedaccording to this invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view taken along the arrow A of FIG. 1, and

FIGS. from 3 to 6 are plan views which are illustrative of the severaloperational stages of the device which draws the boxes from the magazineand feeds them to the conveyor, respectively, and

FIGS. from 7 to I0 are plan vviews which respectively show the severaloperational stages of the device which draws the boxes from the conveyorto feed them to another conveyor.

Having now reference to FIGS. I and 2 of the drawings, the subjectconveyor comprises a couple of chains as diagrammatically shown at 10and II which can be driven to rotation in closed loop by a motive means38: the chain 10 is rotated about three pinions for chain [2,

l3 and 14, whereas the chain 11 is rotated about four chain pinions 15,16, 17 and 18.

As it is clearly shown in FIG. 2, the pinions 14, 18 are keyed to theirrespective shaft 30, 31 and the shaft 30 is integral with the driveshaft 39 in an adjustable manner as to its angular setting, by means ofa sleeve joint 40 having set screws 41. The drive from the shafts 39, 30is transferred to shaft 31 through a drive transfer chain 42 whichconnects two gears 43, 44, the latter being respectively keyed to theshafts 30, 31.

To the chains 10, 11 there are affixed, respectively, a plurality ofretaining members 19, 20, which are formed, each, by angular pieceswhich are mounted vertically; as can be clearly seen in FIG. 1 of thedrawings, the angular irons are affixed to their respective chains andappropriately spaced apart from each other: in addition the faces of theangular irons of one chain, which are extended towards the longitudinalcentral axis of the conveyor, perpendicularly to the latter, lie onplanes which are staggered through the thickness of an individual box 21with respect to the corresponding faces of the angular irons of otherchain.

Beneath the chains 10, 11 there are provided two sliding planes 45 forthe boxes.

Near one end of the conveyor there is located a device which is adaptedto draw the boxes 21 from a magazine as diagrammatically shown at 22, ofthe kind wherein the boxes are stored flat one against the others withthe sidewall closed and the end limbs open: since these magazines arewell known to those skilled in the art, they are not shown herein indetail. Said boxdrawing device is generally indicated at 23 and is con-Structionally made up by an arm 24 which is pivoted at 25 so as to berockable along an arc of 90 degrees between the position shown in solidline and that shown in dotted lines. The end of the arm 24 carries asuction cup 26 which is adapted to receive a negative pressure by anyconventional suction means (not shown) via a suction duct 27.

At the end of the conveyor away of that on which the device 22 ispositioned, another device is mounted, which is adapted to eject theboxes from the conveyor and to feed them onto another conveyor.

Such a device consists of two rings 28 and 29 which are keyed to theirrespective rotary shafts 30, 31, the latter integrally carrying thegears 14, 18. The ring 28 is equipped with three fingers 32 which areextended radially and are spaced apart from one another by evendistances: each finger 32 has its end slightly curved in a directionwhich is opposite to the clockwise direction of rotation of the ring 28.Likewise, the ring 29 is equipped with three fingers 33 which extendradially and are evenly spaced apart from each other: each finger 33 hasits end curved like a book as at 34 in the same anticlockwise directionof rotation as the ring 29.

As clearly shown in the drawing, the fingers 32 are longer than thefingers 33 for the purpose which will be explained hereinafter.

The operation of the conveyor described above is as follows: the coupleof chains l0, 11 is continually rotated, whereas the arm 24 isreciprocated between the two aforementioned positions synchronously withthe rotation of the chains and more particularly with the position ofthe retaining members 19, 20.

At every operation cycle the arm 24 is brought from the position of FIG.1 to the position of FIG. 3 where the suction cup 26, within which anegative pressure is caused to obtain, sticks to the wall of the firstbox 21 of the stack as stored in the magazine 22. By so doing, duringthe return stroke of the arm 24, the first box is drawn by the suctioncup (FIG, 4); as can be clearly seen in the drawings, the sidewall ofthe magazine 22 away of the arm 24 has an end retaining tab 35 which iscurled towards the interior of the magazine; this tab 35 has the objectof preventing more than one box from being drawn by the cup 26 at everyoperative cycle. The return of the arm 24 to the position of FIG. 1causes the gradual opening of the box in the conventional way and as itis shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 until inserting the box, completely open,between two retaining members 19 and 20 (FIG. 6); as the box is insertedbetween the retaining members, the suction of the cup 26 is discontinuedso as to allow the conveyor to draw freely away the box. The latter,after having undergone a processing step at the station diagrammaticallyshown at S, reaches the end of the conveyor which is opposite to themagazine 22: here, as shown in the close up of FIG. 7, the fingers 32,33of the rings 28 and 29, respectively, which are rotated in attunementwith the conveyor enter contact with the rear wall of the box 21 to urgethe box out of the conveyor, for example between retaining members 36 ofanother conveyor 37 which is moved perpendicularly to and in attunementwith the former. The finger 32, which is longer than 33, first folds thebox as shown in FIG. 8 to insert it partially between the retainingmembers 36: then the hook-like end 34 of the finger 33 completes theinsertion of the box as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.

With the conveyor made according to the invention it has becomecomparatively easy to synchronize the movement of the box drawingmechanism with the movement of the chains, even at high rotationalspeeds, virtually without any risk for the boxes not to enter theirseating on the conveyor.

Another important advantage afforded by the conveyor according to theinvention is that to preset it to the operation consistently with thebox thickness, it is merely required that the angular setting of theshaft 30 be adjusted, said shaft carrying the gear 14, with re spect tothe driving shaft 39 in such a way as to displace the chain 10 withrespect to 11 in order more or less to stagger the retaining members 19,20 thereon.

The conveyor according to the invention has proven to be particularlysuitable to be employed together with machines for applying pouringspouts to a wall ofa container: the processing station S can compriseone of said machines and the pouring spouts are diagrammatically shownat 46 in the drawings.

While an embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, thoseskilled in the art will understand that modifications and changes can beintroduced therein: for example the device for drawings the boxes fromthe magazine could be of another type, and the rings equipped withfingers could be dispensed with, without thereby chainging the basicidea of the invention and its scope as defined by the appended claimsonly.

What is claimed is:

1. In a conveyor system for cardboard boxes intended to have aparallelepipedal final shape including a magazine in which the boxes arestored fiat one against the other with the sidewall closed and the endlimbs open and a device adapted to draw the boxes from said magazine andto feed them onto a conveyor opened in their parallelepipedal finalshape, the improvement comprising said conveyor which includes at leastone flexible member driven in a closed loop so as to define two lapsparallel to one another and spaced apart through a distance equal to thebox width, a plurality of retaining members affixed to and properlyspaced apart from each other on said flexible member, adjustable motivedrive means for continuously moving said flexible member so that saidparallel laps are advanced in the same direction and synchronously withrespect to each other with the retaining members on said parallel lapsstaggered to correspond to the thickness ofa box by defining a pluralityof couples of confronting shoulders adapted to receive therebetween abox which will abut each shoulder couple in correspondence with twodiagonally opposite edges of said box.

2. In a conveyor system in accordance with claim 1, wherein saidflexible member comprises two endless chains, each of which is driven ina closed loop by a single adjustable motive means, and said parallellaps are defined by parallel portions of said chains.

3. In a conveyor system in accordance with claim I, wherein saidretaining members are each formed by an angular piece which is arrangedvertically on said flexible member.

4. In a conveyor system in accordance with claim 2, wherein saidadjustable motive means includes a rotatable drive shaft, a firstrotatable driven shaft, flexible coupling means between said drive shaftand first driven shaft for adjusting the angular relationship of saiddrive and first driven shafts, a first sprocket on said first drivenshaft operatively connected to one of said endless chains, a seconddriven shaft substantially parallel to said first driven shaft, a secondsprocket on said second driven shaft operatively connected to the otherof said endless chains, and drive transfer means be tween said first andsecond driven shafts whereby rotational motion of said first drivenshaft is imparted to said second driven shaft and said chains can bemoved in synchronization, the angular relationship between said firstand second driven shafts being adjustable through said flexible couplingmeans to adjust and further stagger the distance between the retainingmembers on said chains to compensate for different box thicknesses.

5. In a conveyor system for cardboard boxes intended to have aparallelepipedal final shape including a magazine in which the boxes arestored flat one against the other with the sidewall closed and the endlimbs open and a device adapted to draw the boxes from said magazine andto feed them onto a conveyor opened in their parallelepipedal finalshape, the improvement comprising said conveyor which includes at leastone flexible member driven in a closed loop so as to define two lapsparallel to one another and spaced apart through a distance equal to thebox width, a plurality of retaining members affixed to and properlyspaced apart from each other on said flexible member, adjustable motivedrive means for continuously moving said flexible member so that saidparallel laps are advanced in the same direction and synchronously withrespect to each other with the retaining members on said parallel lapsstaggered to correspond to the thickness ofa box by defining a pluralityof couples of confronting shoulders adapted to receive therebetween abox which will abut each shoulder couple in correspondence with twodiagonally opposite edges of said box, and means for removing said boxesfrom the two parallel laps of said flexible member to insert thembetween retaining members of another conveyor, said means includingfirst and second rings rotated at the same speed in opposite directionsand each being equipped with a plurality of radially extending fingerswhich are spaced apart from each other in an equal manner, the fingersof the first ring having a hook-like curved end extending in the samedirection of rotation of the ring, the fingers of said second ring beingsubstantially straight and longer, so that in operation a hook-likefinger and a straight finger come simultaneously in contact with therear wall of a box on the flexible member to thrust the box therefrombetween the retaining members of the other conveyor, the longer straightfinger first folding the box to insert it partially between theretaining members, then the hooked end of the other shorter fingerentering into the action to complete the insertion of the box.

6. In a conveyor system in accordance with claim 5, wherein saidflexible member comprises two endless chains, each of which is driven ina closed loop by a single adjustable motive means, and said parallellaps are defined by parallel portions of said chains.

7. In a conveyor system in accordance with claim 5, wherein saidretaining members are each formed by an angular piece which is arrangedvertically on said flexible member.

8. In a conveyor system in accordance with claim 6, wherein saidadjustable motive means includes a rotatable drive shaft, a firstrotatable driven shaft, flexible coupling means between said drive shaftand first driven shaft for adjusting the angular relationship of saiddrive and first driven shafts, a first sprocket on said first drivenshaft operatively connected to one of said endless chains, a seconddriven shaft substantially parallel to said first driven shaft, a secondsprocket on said second driven shaft operatively connected to the otherof said endless chains, and drive transfer means between said first andsecond driven shafts whereby rotational motion of said first drivenshaft is imparted to said second driven shaft and said chains can bemoved in synchronization, the angular relationship between said firstand second driven shafts also being adjustable through said flexiblecoupling means to adjust and further stagger the distance between theretaining members on said chains to compensate for different boxthicknesses.

9. In a conveyor system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said firstring is keyed to said second driven shaft and said second ring is keyedto said first driven shaft.

1. In a conveyor system for cardboard boxes intended to have aparallelepipedal final shape including a magazine in which the boxes arestored flat one against the other with the sidewall closed and the endlimbs open and a device adapted to draw the boxes from said magazine andto feed them onto a conveyor opened in their parallelepipedal finalshape, the improvement comprising said conveyor which includes at leastone flexible member driven in a closed loop so as to define two lapsparallel to one another and spaced apart through a distance equal to thebox width, a plurality of retaining members affixed to and properlyspaced apart from each other on said flexible member, adjustable motivedrive means for continuously moving said flexible member so that saidparallel laps are advanced in the same direction And synchronously withrespect to each other with the retaining members on said parallel lapsstaggered to correspond to the thickness of a box by defining aplurality of couples of confronting shoulders adapted to receivetherebetween a box which will abut each shoulder couple incorrespondence with two diagonally opposite edges of said box.
 2. In aconveyor system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said flexible membercomprises two endless chains, each of which is driven in a closed loopby a single adjustable motive means, and said parallel laps are definedby parallel portions of said chains.
 3. In a conveyor system inaccordance with claim 1, wherein said retaining members are each formedby an angular piece which is arranged vertically on said flexiblemember.
 4. In a conveyor system in accordance with claim 2, wherein saidadjustable motive means includes a rotatable drive shaft, a firstrotatable driven shaft, flexible coupling means between said drive shaftand first driven shaft for adjusting the angular relationship of saiddrive and first driven shafts, a first sprocket on said first drivenshaft operatively connected to one of said endless chains, a seconddriven shaft substantially parallel to said first driven shaft, a secondsprocket on said second driven shaft operatively connected to the otherof said endless chains, and drive transfer means between said first andsecond driven shafts whereby rotational motion of said first drivenshaft is imparted to said second driven shaft and said chains can bemoved in synchronization, the angular relationship between said firstand second driven shafts being adjustable through said flexible couplingmeans to adjust and further stagger the distance between the retainingmembers on said chains to compensate for different box thicknesses. 5.In a conveyor system for cardboard boxes intended to have aparallelepipedal final shape including a magazine in which the boxes arestored flat one against the other with the sidewall closed and the endlimbs open and a device adapted to draw the boxes from said magazine andto feed them onto a conveyor opened in their parallelepipedal finalshape, the improvement comprising said conveyor which includes at leastone flexible member driven in a closed loop so as to define two lapsparallel to one another and spaced apart through a distance equal to thebox width, a plurality of retaining members affixed to and properlyspaced apart from each other on said flexible member, adjustable motivedrive means for continuously moving said flexible member so that saidparallel laps are advanced in the same direction and synchronously withrespect to each other with the retaining members on said parallel lapsstaggered to correspond to the thickness of a box by defining aplurality of couples of confronting shoulders adapted to receivetherebetween a box which will abut each shoulder couple incorrespondence with two diagonally opposite edges of said box, and meansfor removing said boxes from the two parallel laps of said flexiblemember to insert them between retaining members of another conveyor,said means including first and second rings rotated at the same speed inopposite directions and each being equipped with a plurality of radiallyextending fingers which are spaced apart from each other in an equalmanner, the fingers of the first ring having a hook-like curved endextending in the same direction of rotation of the ring, the fingers ofsaid second ring being substantially straight and longer, so that inoperation a hook-like finger and a straight finger come simultaneouslyin contact with the rear wall of a box on the flexible member to thrustthe box therefrom between the retaining members of the other conveyor,the longer straight finger first folding the box to insert it partiallybetween the retaining members, then the hooked end of the other shorterfinger entering into the action to complete the insertion of the box. 6.In a conveyor system in accordance with claim 5, wherein said flexiblemember comprises two endless chains, each of which is driven in a closedloop by a single adjustable motive means, and said parallel laps aredefined by parallel portions of said chains.
 7. In a conveyor system inaccordance with claim 5, wherein said retaining members are each formedby an angular piece which is arranged vertically on said flexiblemember.
 8. In a conveyor system in accordance with claim 6, wherein saidadjustable motive means includes a rotatable drive shaft, a firstrotatable driven shaft, flexible coupling means between said drive shaftand first driven shaft for adjusting the angular relationship of saiddrive and first driven shafts, a first sprocket on said first drivenshaft operatively connected to one of said endless chains, a seconddriven shaft substantially parallel to said first driven shaft, a secondsprocket on said second driven shaft operatively connected to the otherof said endless chains, and drive transfer means between said first andsecond driven shafts whereby rotational motion of said first drivenshaft is imparted to said second driven shaft and said chains can bemoved in synchronization, the angular relationship between said firstand second driven shafts also being adjustable through said flexiblecoupling means to adjust and further stagger the distance between theretaining members on said chains to compensate for different boxthicknesses.
 9. In a conveyor system in accordance with claim 7, whereinsaid first ring is keyed to said second driven shaft and said secondring is keyed to said first driven shaft.